


Warmth

by Nymaria



Series: Falling in Love [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Falling In Love, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Ohana, POV Steve, References to Wicked, Sick Danny, Steve Feels, murder case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 06:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5487197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymaria/pseuds/Nymaria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is falling in love. </p><p>(How there is paperwork, a stage production of <em>Wicked</em>, Danny is sick with the flu, a murder case pops up, and Steve has to deal with feelings.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> As promised, the second part of Falling in Love, inspired by the comments on _Stomach Bugs_ , which originally was intended to be a One Shot. This is for you guys, I hope you enjoy!

For the longest time he doesn't notice.  
When he does, it's already too late. 

The feeling sneaks up on him like a proficiently trained undercover agent, he is hit and effectively disabled before he even realises he's in danger. There is no counter tactic, no defense possible. His position is irrevocably compromised by Danny's presence. 

Over the years he notes that there is an inexplicable warmth stealing over him, whenever he talks to Danny. It's a gradual development, happens so naturally, it doesn't even register as a potential threat, so his mind dismisses it as an unimportant anomaly, attributed to stress and excitement.  
There's no way to pin down the date and time he first experienced it. One day it's just there, under his skin, warming him from the inside.  
A part of him.

As a trained Seal he should have connected the dots earlier, should have realised why it matters so much to him to see Danny and Grace happy. Why meeting Gaby and Amber left a sour taste in his mouth.

He should have known, but he didn't.  
There are not many things capable of surprising him in his line of work, after all the secret missions he completed and yet, this comes completely out of the blue.

Actually, the specific day he realises is remarkably ordinary for Five-O, no spectacular car chases, adrenaline fueling shoot outs or creative questioning methods. Just dull paper work. From morning to late afternoon he keeps writing reports, reading them and signing document after document until his hand cramps and eyes blur and he is in desperate need of a break as well as some sort of distraction. So naturally he heads over to Danny's office, where he finds his partner trying to decimate his own small mountain of paper work. 

"This should be classified as torture!" Danny exclaims, when he sees him standing in the doorway.

"Almost done, Danno?" he asks, coming in, smirking slightly as he eyes the hazardly strewn about paperwork.

Danny groans in response. "No, I'm not, as you can see _Steven_."

That's when Kono pops into the room and gives her own two cents on the matter. "Well, that's what happens when you're late to the party, bra! You've just been at it for two hours, that's nothing", she says with a grin, then turns to Steve, "I'm done, boss! "

"Oh, now that's just great", mutters Danny loudly to himself.

"I thought about visiting Charlie, check out the new equipment for the lab he ordered", she says, a question in her eyes. And he can see the strain in her shoulders, the bags under her eyes. Paperwork's all done them in before, reliving the cases, especially the bad ones is hard and he understands her need for a change of scenery.  
It's why he's here after all and not in his own office. 

"Sure, have fun", he agrees and off she is, but not before teasing Chin about all the reports he's still due to write.

"At least I'm not doing a half-assed job!" Danny calls out after her, but Kono only laughs and replies with, "Keep telling yourself that, Danny! ", before slamming the door shut behind herself.

"Why were you late anyway?" Steve inquires curiously, because it isn't like Danny to show up late for work. 

A groan, followed by a short coughing fit greets this question, then Danny's eyes flash to Steve and he threatens, "Don't you dare laugh, Steve! "

Though the murderous expression on his partner's face makes him desperately want to crack up, he practices restraint. He can see the rant coming a mile wide, there's no use to back paddling now anyway, so he braces himself and nods encouragingly.

Danny continues to look suspiciously at him for a while, then swallows and starts his story.  
"Uh, yeah, so turns out Rachel forgot she had an important meeting today and I know, I know, I shouldn't let her walk all over me, but anyway so she asked me to bring Grace to school. And her class, well, they're doing this project now, a play-musical-thing, _Wicked_ I think? Anyway the stage design is kind of wonky, because there was this huge wall thing crumbling and falling down on Mary, that's one of Gracie's friends by the way and then what was I supposed to do I-"

"Let me guess, you rushed over and saved the day? Held the fake wall up until they got it fixed? Then got pulled in to help a little, which turned out not to be little at all? "

A slight blush of embarrassment spreads across Danny's cheeks and Steve good naturally laughs at him. 

"Shut up, Steve", he mutters, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"So, let me get this straight, Danno. You got there at what, eight? Must have been at least six hours you spent working on a stage set instead of doing police work?" Steve asks in obvious amusement, leaning against the wall, because no way is he leaving now, when there's so much teasing to do. 

As expected, Danny explodes.  
"I'm telling you, that woman is a harpy! Art teacher and glorified stage director, my ass! She was all simpering and 'oh Mr Williams would you hold that up, please?', 'Mr Williams could you help with those crates?', 'Mr Williams you don't mind giving a hand with the costumes and the sewing, right?' "

Steve choked on his breath, eyes flowing wide and looking him over dubiously. "You did sewing?"

"I had to! She, that woman, asked in front of Grace and made it look like a total asshole move to refuse. So, yeah, I did, McGarrett", Danny snaps at him.

"Wow." Steve is honestly just stunned at that revelation. The image of Danno sitting there surrounded by little girls, with needle and thread in hand, ready to help out with their dress costumes, sears itself into his mind and he can't suppress a chuckle.

"Don't 'wow' me, Steven. So what if I can sew a little. It was still shitty. "

"Yeah, uh, guess so. Wow. You got played big time, Danno, admit it. "

"So, what! At least Gracie's happy, that's what matters", Danny declares stubbornly, and he's right, it is the important thing. 

Then there's another coughing fit, this time worse than the first. It actually sounds like Danny is hacking up his lungs and Steve feels justified to be a little concerned.

"You alright, Danno?"

"Ugh, I may be coming down with something. Haven't felt all that great since this morning actually", Danny admits with a sigh and let's his head drop into his hands.

"Wanna head home?" Steve asks, assessing his partner's slumped shoulders and somewhat pale complexion. 

"Nuhu, have to finish all the reports", he says, gesturing at the overwhelming amount of paperwork on his desk, "no way am I sitting here tomorrow doing the same thing! This is bureaucracy at its worst!"

Understanding the motivation to finish once and for all, Steve nods to his partner, thinking about his own, though smaller, stack from hell in his office. 

"At least I'm not getting shot at", teases Danny with a smile and they both agree silently that break time is over and go back to work. 

 

It's evening, when he next sees Danny, he's finally done and on his way to check in and say goodbye before going home. They're the only ones left at headquarters, Chin has been gone for an hour already, having less papers to fumble through, than Steve as commander and leader of the task force.

Only Danny isn't diligently working at his desk like expected, instead his head is propped up on his arms, eyes closed and he appears to be napping. He doesn't react at all to Steve's greeting, completely out of it. But it's not the restful kind of sleep, Danny's mumbling something indistinguishable, eyelids fluttering in agitation. 

At last he stirs, when Steve calls out his name more insistently and gently shakes his shoulder. 

Bleary, blue eyes meet his and confusion plays over Danny's features.  
"Steve, huh, wha-?"

Then a coughing fit racks over him, chest heaving as he gasps for breath and Steve quickly gets him a glass of cool water that hopefully soothes the pain somewhat. Messily gulping down the water, his partner just shoots him a grateful look and when Steve sees him reaching for the tissues at the far side of his desk, he automatically grabs those too and hands them over. With this, he manages to raise a quick quirk of a smile in his partner. 

Funnily enough that's _the moment he notices_ , looking at Danny miserably sniffing and coughing into a tissue with that glassy, dazed expression in his eyes and the feverish sheen to his skin. The sudden, irrational warmth that envelopes him at the sight of his partner is overwhelming in its intensity, and for the first time he truly realises that this is not somehow job related, no stress, but Danno himself. 

A part of him wants to smother the man in blankets and lots of cold medicine, tea, maybe hot soup, too. The undeniable urge to protect rears its head and he just wants to take him home, make sure he gets well again.

He's more than thrown by that notion. 

Sure he's always liked Danny, he is his best friend after all, but he does have other friends and this is... somehow.... different. 

The revelation of the apparent depth of his feelings for the other man startles the rational part of his brain badly. Steve doesn't like to be blindsided, not by events or circumstances and certainly not by his inability to correctly read his own emotions.

His thoughts seem to have a mind of their own, he can't stop them from wandering to the military and what this means for him, because he never-

He's always been tolerant, he's a Seal and he'd supported the repeal of DADT, because in his opinion there are enough restraints in life, people should at least be able to choose freely in love, especially if they devote their life to serving their country. 

But he never connected this in any way directly to himself and watching his partner he just feels overwhelmed at the abrupt onslaught of feelings and sensations.

Danny remains oblivious, not noticing Steve's shellshocked expression, quietly sipping at his water and coughing occasionally.  
At least it prevents him from talking to Steve and he's grateful, because that's another thing he isn't ready for.

This is simply too much. 

***

For most of his life Steve has served his country with pride, in one way or another. Becoming a Navy Seal had been a dream come true, but joining the war effort changed him considerably. It quickly and effectively disillusioned him to the art of warfare. Fighting in a war didn't feel heroic and honorable like all those patriotic movies depicted, it was quick and dirty and unfair. Good men died because of no fault of their own, but someone else's carelessness, a stray bullet, traps and ill-thought out plans superiors put in motion.  
Life was fleeting on a battlefield, time running through one's grasp like sand, and in the balance between life and death, only survival mattered and continuing the mission. There was something inside him that held onto the notions of honor and righteousness, his father had instilled in him, but playing by the rules got him no favours and silently bending them was expected and occasionally necessary.  
Maybe his recklessness was born there in the trenches, between one rain of gun fire and another.

War taught a harsh lesson.  
And he'd learned the hard way that sometimes moral obligations meant shit on a war front. 

Another turning point in his life was his father's death by the hand of Victor Hesse. Going home to Hawaii stirred something almost forgotten inside him besides the sadness of his loss and the rage that came with it. He felt longing when he saw the wide beaches, the waves and clear water and the palm trees. He realised that though he hadn't been back in a long time, this was still his home. 

He met Danny in a flurry of shouted threats and raised guns, they certainly hadn't made the best impression on each other. But even then at their first disastrous meeting, there was something about Danny that resonated with him. Maybe the fact that the other man noticed the dust pattern and dared to call him out on his bullshit. 

Somehow the cop had jumped in his eye with his brash attitude and the obvious air of _haole_ surrounding him. With his loafers, button-down shirts and ties, he stuck out like a sore thumb, but it was his uncompromising will to refuse adapting that first earned Steve's respect.

This was a man he wanted to have at his back, which is why he promptly called the governor and made him his new partner. 

The rest is history.

***

Now that he knows, he can't stop staring at the other man, observing his every move in minute detail.  
And Danny might be oblivious and sick, but he's certainly not stupid. 

"Okay, what's the matter with you, huh?" he asks, absentmindedly massaging his temples, which indicates having a headache. "Whatever it is, it's creepy, man."

"I - you- ...", he starts and how is it possible to lose the ability to speak from one moment to the next? Swallowing, he tries to get the words out slowly and settles for, "Uhm, you're sick. "

Danny's eyebrows jump up and his voice regains its usual sarcastic lilt.  
"Oh, really? Steve,you're a genius, thanks for pointing that out. What would I do without you?"

Scowling at his partner, he answers with, "You're going home. This-", he says, indicating the mess of paperwork, "can wait a day or two for you to get better."

For once, Danny doesn't seem to have the energy to argue and nods in silent agreement. That's enough to tell Steve how sick and shitty the man must really feel, because he's known for years now that a quiet Danny isn't a good thing. His partner only really shuts up, when the situation is truly bad, or he's in more pain than he wants to let on.

In contrast a happy Danny means shouting, ranting and a lot of witty one liners.

"Keys. " Steve holds out his hand expectantly.

"Nope, I'm driving my own car, thank you very much. It's not so bad, okay, I promise? I'll be right as rain tomorrow. And you're getting into that truck of yours and going home, alright?" Danny tries to stand and do just that, but his gait is unsure and wobbly. He stumbles and almost falls, Steve's quick reflexes only just keep him from crashing to the ground.

"Ugh, fuck, head's spinning, m' sorry", Danny mumbles, as he leads him back to a chair.

"Let me drive", he says decisively, because this is too much and he further notices the way Danny's hands tremble slightly, the paleness of his features. No way was he letting him out of his sight for the next hours. Days. "And I'm taking you home. To my place", he clarifies absentmindedly, thoughts already focused on the things he needs to buy to put Danny up for a while.

Surprisingly he has most items there, even the sugary cornflakes Grace prefers eating in the morning and Danny's favourite brand of coffee is stocked in his kitchen, although he himself never really drinks it.

His partner releases an exaggerated sigh and glares at him with a frown on his face, but there's a bright spark to his eyes, like laughter is lurking right behind a corner, and the fondness is unmistakable, when he hands over the keys to his car without much of a fight. 

Somehow they manage to shuffle their way downstairs and to the Camero, Steve's arm is slung under his shoulder, supporting most of his weight, while Danny attempts to walk.  
At the car, Danny is carefully positioned inside and strapped in, despite his protests of 'not being a child, Steve!'.

In fact Danny is mostly docile, let's Steve maneuver him how he wants and only points out once in exasperation,"For god's sake Steve, you're such a control freak! "

***

Danny says he has _control issues_. 

Well, that isn't exactly untrue. He doesn't like to relinquish control, when he has it, because he feels helpless without it, trapped and weak and lost. Bad things tend to happen, so even a small loss of control can give him pangs of nausea and cause mild panic attacks.

His mother dying/leaving showed him how quickly a situation can spin out of control and change everything. Before he had time to process what was happening, he and his sister where shipped away by their father and left to find their own way in life. Jack McGarrett hadn't ever asked his children what they wanted to do, if they wanted to go, but just informed them of his decision. That's the day Steve first recognised the power of control and learned the fear of losing it. 

Joining the military was perfect for Steve. He thrived under the structure, the pressure motivated him and his commanding officers always remarked upon his excellent self control.  
However control is impossible to retain in every instance and when Hesse called, he couldn't get a handle on the situation and had no choice but to shoot Anton, which consequently led to his father's death. 

So, yeah, he does have control issues and though Danny jokes about his behaviour, he seems to understand, if only subconsciously, how important this is to Steve. Despite his rants and complaining, he lets Steve drive his car, storm in in front of him and provides cover in all his reckless endeavours. 

Danny is like an anchor tying him to a safe harbour on a stormy night at sea. A ship is useless without an anchor to secure it, it would be lost, floating at sea, never to be found and that's how he feels without Danny near him.

***

The first two days Danny is mostly delirious and wracked by shivers of heat then cold, as his body fights the fever. He'd put Danny in the guest room Mary always uses, if she stays over and does his best to help. Steve pumps him full of medicine and does everything the doctor he consulted recommended. 

So, Danny's on sick leave and Steve's officially on holiday, not that anyone bought that crap.  
Even the governor mentioned on the phone that he hoped Detective Williams would be better soon. 

Playing nurse maid isn't a job he particularly relishes in, but someone has to take care of Danno, who's in one of his single phases once again, and Steve rather do it himself than let some stranger do it.  
Members of the team show up sporadically at his door and inquire after Danny's health, help out with some stuff and leave unless Danny is awake and happy to see them. 

Then there's finally improvement in sight and Danny is able to move around on his own, though weak, legs. They watch movies together, the _classics_ Danny likes and the action thrillers Steve prefers. 

It's kind of perfect, in that unexpected, domestic way he'd never before thought about, much less craved. But it's so easy to fall into a rythm with his unintentional house guest, sure they snap at each other and argue all the time about the most idiotic things and yet it feels comforting. Like an emptiness in his chest, he didn't know existed, is slowly filled up by a searing warmth. 

Sometimes he hates Rachel for all the hurt she caused Danny, there are other times however he just wants to kiss her for bringing or rather forcing this amazing man to come to Hawaii. 

They're in the middle of a Rambo marathon, comfortably sitting on his couch and bickering about plot holes, when his phone rings and they both glance at it in irritation.  
In spite of all the references Danny makes that compare him to Rambo, Steve has never been a fan of the franchise, he's not even seen all of them before and when Danny finds out they somehow just have to watch the whole lot. And it's not like his opinion really changes, yet seeing Danny's infectious enjoyment, Rambo sort of grows on him and he gets a little invested the further they watch.

Unsurprisingly it's the governor on the phone, telling him to get his ass in gear, because a teenage girl has been found murdered in a ditch and it's his job to find the monster, who did it.

"So, the holiday's over, I guess? Where's the fire?" Danny asks from the couch, observing Steve pacing around the room, gathering his gear.

"A teenage girl, Alicia Trent, local, has been found murdered half a mile from her home. Multiple bruises and stab wounds indicate she put up one hell of a fight. Motive is still unclear", he rattles of the facts. 

Danny's light expression shuts down immediately and his brow furrows in well hidden distress. "Have the parents been informed yet?" 

"Kono's there right now."  
And Steve can see where Danny's thoughts are going, that painful far away look he gets every time he's reminded of Grace's abduction. He, too, can remember the sudden spike of helplessness and fear for the little girl and how he wanted to go berserk and rip anything apart that threatens his friends or family.

Interrupting his train of thought, he notices Danny hastily grabbing for the glass of water on the table, downing it in one go and then he's doubling over, coughing again, while Steve hovers over him, not knowing what to do, how to help.

Danny must notice his worry and hesitation, because he says right away, after his coughing fit is over, "Goddamnit, will you just go, Steve? I'm not dying alright? And I'll be right here when you get back, so just go out and get the bastard who killed that girl. "

Yeah, of course he's right, he doesnt have to be reminded of his duty and job as commander of Five-0. Though that doesn't lessen the fact that he does not want to go and leave Danny like this.

"I'm calling Kamekona", he says and Danny doesn't even protest, maybe guessing it would be futile, and just shoos him off with his hands.

"Alright, call the big lug. Now go. Go. Go! And book him for me, okay? " Danny calls out.

Steve grins in response and closes the door behind himself, a last glance straying over the figure on his couch, before shutting the door, making sure it's locked and his security system is operating. 

He's distracted on the drive, cannot concentrate and focus on the work to be done, the leads to check out with his mind occupied by worry for his partner. 

How could he not have noticed this before? It's debilitating. 

Like the warmth that subsumes him in Danny's presence, his absence feels like a hole drilled through his chest, and goddamnit he is not trained for this.

It takes a while for him to admit that this, well, this could be a problem.

***

Steve doesn't love easily, he knows that about himself, has heard it enough times from past lovers.  
Even Catherine told him he needed to let her in, give more, regardless of the deep connection they already shared.  
The truth is, he finds it difficult to leave himself open and show such profound vulnerability. It could be his training in the military coming through that forbids him to show weakness, because loving someone means admitting they can, whether in actions or words, hurt you. Is the risk really worth it? 

Or maybe some people are just not suited to love. 

Then there is the fact that most people he loved are gone or have in one way or another betrayed the trust he placed in them. No, he certainly doesn't like to let people get too close, but sometimes there is no choice, it just happens without a conscious thought involved.

Loving Danny is like breathing. Instinctively. 

No, Steve certainly doesn't love easily, but when he does, he loves fiercely.

***

The murderer was sloppy and helpfully left his prints all over the scene.It doesn't take long for Kono to run them through their database. Turns out the suspect is a guy called Evan Biggerson, his list of petty felonies is long, but he's also a suspect in various sexual assault cases, although no definitive proof has been found yet.  
Steve assembles his team and storms down the address provided. Catching the bastard before his intended dive out of the window, he quickly books him, as promised. Apparently Evan had been drunk last night, which explains the mess of finger prints, and when the girl started to struggle he'd hit her and before he could satisfy his desire she was dead. 

Telling Alicia's parents is one of the harder aspects of the job, they're devastated in their grief, the fact that they caught the man responsible only a small comfort.

Although there's nothing more he can do, it still weighs on him, how that young girl got killed brutally because of some sick fuck.

Coming home late after all the evidence has been processed and the last reports filed, he quietly lets himself in and the sound of bright laughter greets him. He finds Danny in the living room, on the couch in front of the telly, exactly like he left him hours ago, only there's a phone pressed to his ear and he's smiling softly at whatever the person on the other end tells him.

"Alright monkey, that sounds great. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun - who are you playing again?" Danny grimaces, then notices Steve's arrival and gives him a smile, "Awesome! Yes, tell Ms Miller that it was a pleasure to help out, really. Of course I'm coming to see you! I'm going to make it no matter what! No, it won't be like last time, Grace."  
Danny sighs, while Steve has perched closer to the couch, listening in. "Yes, I promise to show up. I'm sure- you know what, how about you ask him yourself, sweetheart? "

With that he emphatically hands the phone to Steve and gestures for him to talk. Steve gingerly picks it up and carefully holds it to his ear.  
"Uncle Steve?" The voice is familiar and sweet and he loves being called 'Uncle Steve'. 

"Heya, Grace! What's up?"

"Well, there's a musical at school, Wicked, and we'll be performing it next week. Would you like to come, too? You know, if you want to. Because I need to get the tickets." The question is posed in a very casual tone, but he can hear her nervous breathing and something swells inside him at the thought that his presence there _means_ something to Grace. 

There's only one answer to give and he dares any criminals to give them crap on that day.  
"Yes, thanks for inviting me, I'll be happy to! "

"Good! Great! It's this weekend on Saturday evening! " Her excitement is pretty audible and Danny grins at him from the couch, patting the seat besides him, mouthing 'so whipped' at him.

Steve sits down with a grin of his own, so what if Grace has wrapped him around her finger, like Danny is any better.  
"So, what character are you playing? A princess?" He only vaguely remembers having heard from the show, there has to be a princess, right? 

"I'm Nessarose, the wicked Witch of the East!" Grace declares happily. 

Right. Of course she is. He exchanges a quick glance with Danny, who shrugs at him, having no clue either.

"Witches are pretty cool, huh? " he tries and relaxes at Grace's delighted agreement. 

Then there's a lull in conversation and it's obvious that Grace wants to say something to him and only him. Sitting next to Danny doesn't feel right in this context and he mimes getting a beer at his partner, before disappearing in the kitchen.  
"What is it, Gracie? Anything wrong?" The pause lasts slightly too long and he's already cataloguing everything he needs to get out of the house quickly, how to get his gear and truck and swoop to any necessary rescue. There are so many terrible scenarios running through his head, the body of Alice Trent on the forefront of his mind, a horror show of Grace being hurt, stalked, beaten, abducted -

"It's just- ... how's Danno?" A hesitant voice interrupts, and thank god for that.

"He's better, don't worry. Your Dad will be well soon, and nothing in the world is going to prevent him from seeing you play a fantastic witch, Grace", he reassures. 

"You're taking care of him, right? Sometimes he doesn't do what the doctor says, okay?"

"I know, I got this, alright kiddo?"

"Yeah, I trust you, Uncle Steve", she declares and somehow it feels more like he accepted a mission instead of a simple request.

Next he knows, she's telling him everything about the costumes and the stage, who her friends are playing, what they're wearing and it goes on and on without pause.

Steve feels more than a little overwhelmed by the time he wanders back to the living room with two beers in hand, listening attentively to every detail of the apparently massive production.

Danny laughs at his expression, then continues to look at him fondly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, when he plops down besides him. And Steve doesn't mind being the butt of a joke, if Danny just looks at him like that.

It's amazing how just sitting there with Danny and listening to Grace's chatter on the phone relaxes him, he's able to finally let it go, shut the case of Alice Trent away in the deep recesses of his mind, where all the horror stories and tragedies of his life are buried.  
The easiness with which he sinks into that warmth should worry him, but he's too tired to analyse this now. Honestly, he doesn't want to.

Because this feels right. It feels like family. 

_Ohana._

And he never wants to lose that feeling again.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, I just have to say, that this was a bitch to write.^^
> 
> I found out that I'm really not good at writing from Steve's POV, I love him to death, don't get me wrong, but I can't write him. Give me Danny any day! Anyone else have this problem? xD
> 
> Anyway, I did my best, and though I'm not quite satisfied, I hope you like it? 
> 
> As always kudos and comments would be great! Thanks for reading!
> 
> And happy holidays!


End file.
